Apparatus for treating the large intestine



Jan. 14, 1936. E. F. HANNON APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE LARGE INTESTINE Filed Sept. 5, 1953 A IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE LARGE INTESTINE My invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for and methods of treating the large intestine and of administering drugs, chemicals, bacteria and the like to it and to the patient through it, and of cleansing it, and treating its walls and. removing therefrom undesirable substances; to the effect that the intestinal tract may be permitted to function normally or with increased eificiency and local conditions in said large intestine be improved and the general health of the patient augmented; and has for its object the attain- -ment of a more thorough treatment as aforesaid, a more positive action on said large intestine and on matter therein and on the walls thereof, and a more efficient control of the various processes involved in said treatment.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features hereinafter set forth in detail, illustrated as to apparatus in the accompanying drawing, and

more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View of the large intestine in a human being.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of my apparatus which is shown in a portable form.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of my central by-pass control chamber.

Fig. 4 is a view or the same in cross section on line A-A of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of my gas trap and by-pass chamber, which, when in operating position as shown in Fig. 2, would be a view in side elevation.

.Fig. 6 is a view of the same in cross section on line C-C of Fig. 5.

In the drawing represents a tank having three compartments 2, 3, and 4 each having an outlet duct numbered respectively 5 5 and I leading to a common duct 8, and with each of said ducts having therein a valve numbered respectively 9, In, H, and |2. In all of said ducts a section thereof may be made of transparent material such as glass through which the operator may conveniently make observations of the liquid condition in the ducts, and the remainder thereof made of flexible tubing such as rubber; or the valves and their connections may be made of glass and the tubing of rubber adapted to be slipped over the glass connection,

which is the preferred form of portable construction for all of the valves and connections and tubing used throughout the apparatus.

Duct 8 empties into the side of a central bypass control chamber l3, common to a number of ducts which all connect into at as hereinafter described.

Duct I4 is inserted in the side of chamber I3 and leads to and from it and has a valve i5 therein which controls the flow of liquid through said duct H in either direction. A glass observation tube ll; of a few inches in length is inserted into the end'of duct M as part thereof through which the flow of substances through the tube may be observed and which permits the operator to be advised of conditions encountered in the large intestine.

A cecum tube IT with the usual outlets adjacent to its end, is connected to the glass observation tube l6, either directly as shown or intermediary through an additional length of flexible tubing, whichever the operator may prefer.

A pressure gun or bulb I8 is connected into the side of chamber l3 through duct I9 which has a valve 2|] therein.

Leading from the side of chamber I3 is a primary discharge duct 2|, with valve 22 therein.

The chamber I3 is constructed with its inlets and outlets so that the top of the chamber serves as a dome wherein gas may be trapped. A secondary siphon duct 23 runs from the dome of chamber l3 and has a valve 24 therein. Duct 23 not only acts asa siphon through which gasmay be drawn from the dome of chamber I3, but serves the purpose of injecting a fluid into said chamber l3 as will later be explained.

Both the primary discharge duct 2| and the secondary siphon duct or dome line 23 lead into a gas trap and by-pass chamber 25 from which a waste duct 26 empties into a waste receptacle 21. The waste duct 26 may also serve as a siphon duct, supplementing ducts 2| and 23 in effect being a continuation thereof, when duct 23 is not being used as a circulating or recycling or feed-back duct.

Into gas trap and by-pass chamber 25 is looped a circulating duct 28, with valve 29 therein, one end of which duct is located in the side of said gas trap and by-pass chamber 25 and the other end located in the bottom thereof.

The entire apparatus shown is designed so asto make it portable and easily set up and taken down, and with that in view I have caused the three separate tanks 2, 3 and 4 to be made as three compartments of one tank I, as generally three tanks are used in operation, and have made all of the various ducts of rubber tubing, except the various connections in said ducts, and furthermore, have located all control valves in the entire system so that the operator may easily manipulate the entire apparatus, and have mounted the central control chamber and all of the valves related thereto on a base 30.

When the apparatus is to be used, a table 3| is provided whereon the patient tobe treated may recline in the position usually assumed in such operations, and tank I is positioned at the table and above it so that its contents may gravitate into chamber I3 and thence thru the cecum tube into the large intestine of the patient.

The base 30 with the apparatus mounted thereon, is then placed on the table mentioned and the entire apparatus connected as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Tubes 2| and 23 with the gas trap and by-pass chamber 25 depending therefrom, are hung over the side of the table in a position wherein a gas entering chamber 25, from line 2|, will rise and enter line 23, and the end of tube 26. placed in receptacle 21 which may be set on the floor, in. which position liquid may be caused to gravitate from chamber l3. into. receptacle 21.

For the purpose of withdrawing a specimen from the patient, I have provided a three way valve. 32in observation tube I6 with line 33 leading therefrom, sothat matter may be withdrawn from either side of valve 32, and may enter lin 33. from whence it may be removed.

In operation, with all connections made and with the apparatus in place, valves 9, H], H, I5,

22, and 24 are closed and the tanks 2, 3 and 4,

or any of them, are filled or partially filled with such liquid or liquid substance or matter held in suspension in said liquid as it may be desired to inject intothe large intestine of the patient. The valve or valves 9, H), II and 24 are then opened to permit chamber 3 to be filled with the liquidfrom the desired tank or tanks, after which valve 24 may be closed or partially closed, and bulb I8 worked to exhaust the air in it and fill said bulb and tube l9 with liquid, after which valve 20' is closed, or the whole system may otherwise be filled with the liquid desired. Valve 22 is then opened to permit duct 2| or ducts 2| and 26 to fill, after which it is closed, whereupon all is in. readiness for use.

The patient'tobe treated is then placed on the table and positioned in the conventional manner and the cecum tube injected in the usual manner into the patients large intestine, and in general is manipulated therein the same as. has heretofore been customary, that is run back and forth a little distance at a time, flushing the large intestine with liquid from the aforesaid tank or tanks as the cecum tube is gradually injected further into the large intestine until the cecum itself is reached, in which operation a number of treatments at different times are generally necessary before the tube can be injected fully into the large intestine, all of which is well known to'those engaged in the practice. the manipulation of the various valves.

In addition to the removal of matter from the large intestine by flushing, or by injection of liquid and removal of liquid and .matter by draining or by expelling under pressure created in the patient, I use a vacuum to: pull back the liquid into the cecum tube and to draw into This operation is controlled by it the matter to be removed from the large intestine. By opening valves I2 and I5, I can apply pressure to flow the liquid into the large intestine at the desired point, and then by closing valve i2 and opening valve 22 I can apply a suction at said point to draw back the liquid and the matter to be removed. Also by closing all valves except I5 and 20 and manipulating bulb 8 I can apply additional pressure in the cecum tube and large intestine when it is desired to increase the pressure over that provided by the static head of the liquid from the tank, and by then opening valve 22 I can create a suction, thus working the liquid in and out of the cecum tube and permitting the forward and reverse currents to play upon the desired point in the large intestine. This control of the currents greatly assists in the opening up of the large intestine and the removal of matter therefrom, particularly when the sacculations of the large intestine are being cleaned out or the coating on the wall of the large intestine is being removed or sealed away as. is possible with my method of operation.

Moreover, under my method, gas in the patient may be drawn off into the central by-pass control chamber l3 from which it may be removed through tube 23 without unduly interfering with the. operation.

When desired, I. control the vacuum action to automatically set up or bring about a sudden release or partial release of the suction in the cecum tube and then cause a sudden resumption.

and in condition to slough off and to be drawn into the cecum tube. The apparatus shown is designed to accomplish. this in the'following. stated manner. When the intake line 8 is closedand line H) is dormant and line H is open and the siphon is working thru tubes 2| and 2G, drawing fluid from the patient and gas is. com.- ing from the patient or is present in the system, a part of the fluid and gas flow-ing thru. tube 2| may be causedto enter tube 23' from the gas trap and by-pass chamber 25 and to be returned thru tube 23- back into the central bypass control chamber |'3 "by opening valve 24. in duct .23 and'openin'g valve .29 in tube 28. Under circumstances the feed-back may be; brought about by merely opening valve 24, particularly if the flow of fluid coming from the patient is retarded or is heavy and. the column. of fluid in duct 23 is light enough for the descending column of fluid in duct 2|. to raise by its suction, nor is it essential that valve 29'be present in duct 28 for said duct may remain open to function upon the opening of valve-.241 in duct 23 as aforesaid. When said feed-back or return flow is in operation. thev liquid and gas enters tube 23 alternately, forming in the tube a flow-- ing column in which short slugs of liquid are separated by gas pockets, and in this condition the liquid and gas are emptied into chamber l3,

weight of the descending column of fluid creating the siphon is lessened and when an alternate column of liquid enters and is drawn into said line H, the weight of the descending column of liquid creating the siphon is increased. The degree of fluctuations or the intensity thereof will vary with the weight and velocity of the column creating the suction and with the amount and rate of flow of gas into the suction line, and relatively wide fluctuations in the degree of vacuum may under certain conditions be used to advantage in treating the patient. This fluctuation in the degree of vacuum present in chamber I3 is of course transmitted to the cecum tube and likewise occurs therein with the result that the speed at which the fluid enters into the cecum tube from the intestine is subjected to sudden fluctuations, so that the jarring or jerking movement aforesaid is set up with the effect above noted. In such an operation tube 25 acts as a drain tube and does not act as a part of the siphon system.

The vacuum is also used when it is desired to draw off from the large intestine matter which has been temporarily introduced at any particular place therein, as for instance certain medicines or bacteria, and permits a positive and instantaneous withdrawal of such matter.

Bulb l8 may also be manipulated while liquid is flowing into the large intestine under force of gravity, to cause sudden increase in pressure or a jarring effect on the liquid, when desired.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus used for treating the large intestine a central by-pass control chamber, a gas dome therein wherein gas may be trapped, a valve controlled opening in said dome, a valve controlled inlet and outlet in said chamber to a cecum tube.

2. In an apparatus for treating the large intestine having a central by-pass control chamber, a plurality of valve controlled openings therein, a gas dome in said chamber wherein gas may be trapped and a valve controlled opening in said dome.

3. An apparatus, used in treating the large intestine, comprising a central by-pass control chamber, a dome therein, a valve controlled opening, in said dome, a valve controlled inlet in said chamber adapted to be connected into a liquid transporting line, a valve controlled inlet and outlet into and out of said chamber adapted to be connected into a cecum tube; a valve controlled outlet in said chamber adapted to be connected into a suction line and an inlet and outlet opening in said chamber adapted to be connected into a pressure and suction line.

4. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 3 and with said valve controlled opening being connected into said suction line.

5. In an apparatus used for treating the large intestine, a central by-pass control chamber, a dome therein, a valve controlled line connected 5 into said dome, a valve controlled liquid intake line connected into said chamber, a valve controlled cecum tube line connected into said chamber, a valve controlled siphon line connected into said chamber, and means of circu- 10 lating a part of the fluid passing thru said siphon line back into said siphon line through said central by-pass control chamber.

6. The combination of a cecum tube used in treating the large intestine, and means of creat- 1:; ing a suction therein, and means of automatically subjecting said suction to sudden changes in its degree of vacuum.

7. In an apparatus used in treating the large intestine, a central by-pass control chamber, a 20 dome for trapping gas therein, a valve controlled opening in said dome, a valve controlled inlet in said chamber adapted to: be connected into a liquid transporting line, a valve controlled inlet and outlet into and out of said chamber 25 adapted to be connected into a cecum tube, and a valve controlled outlet from said chamber adapted to be connected into a discharge line.

8. In an apparatus used in treating the large intestine, a discharge line connected into a-30 cecum tube and means of automatically feeding back into said discharge line a portion of the fluid previously passed therethru.

9. In an apparatus used in treating the large intestine, wherein a discharge line is employed 35 connected to a cecum tube, means of automatically feeding back into said discharge line a portion of the fluid previously passed therethru and means of starting said feed back, one of which means is a looped circulating duct con- 40 nected into said discharge line.

10. In an apparatus used in treating the large intestine, a discharge line connected. into the cecum tube and means of automatically feeding back into said discharge line a portion of t5 the fluid which may have previously passed therethru, one of which means isa tube, one end of which is connected into said discharge tube line at one place therein with the other end of said tube connected into said discharge 50 line at another place therein lower than said first mentioned place;

11. In an apparatus for treating the large intestine wherein a cecum tube is employed, a central by-pass chamber having a dome therein 55 wherein gas may be trapped and an outlet from said dome, a duct connecting said chamber with said cecum tube, and a valve controlled drain tube connected into said duct.

EDWARD F. I-IANNON. 

